Make your own pure vanilla extract for an affordable and high quality vanilla flavor for your baking and cooking. It’s a simple technique that requires only two ingredients; vanilla beans and alcohol.
The only trick is that the vanilla beans need at least 8 weeks to infuse the alcohol. So if you do a lot of baking for Passover, now is the time to make your homemade vanilla extract (make sure to use Kosher for Passover vodka). It’s hard to find pure vanilla extract for Passover, what’s commonly available is imitation vanilla extract made with artificial flavors and chemicals.
But once you see how easy and affordable it is to make it at home, you’ll never settle for imitation vanilla extract and you may just start doing it year round as well.
Homemade Vanilla Extract
For passover vanilla extract, make sure to use kosher for passover vodka.
5 vanilla beans
8 ounces vodka (bourbon, rum, and brandy can be used)
1. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise to expose their seeds.
2. Place in a glass jar and cover with vodka (the vanilla beans need to be completely immersed).
3. Cover jar tightly and store in cool place for at least 8 weeks. Can be left longer for a more intense flavor. Shake the bottle once a week.
4. Remove the vanilla beans when ready to use, or leave them in the jar and add vodka as you use it making sure the beans are always submerged.
Another option for a large batch is to place about 12 vanilla beans inside a vodka bottle and leave for 8 weeks or longer to infuse.
lisa–for realsies–i’m loving these posts. when my extract runs out, i’m doing this.
Thank you for the inspiration and reminder of how easy and cheap it is to make my own extracts. Last summer I had mint galore and so made mint extract which was easy and worth the wait for it to mature in the vodka. I actually think vanilla would be much more utilized in my kitchen so this is my next project!
This a great idea! I need to make one for passover….now to get some kosher for pesach vodka.
What a woànderful idea, and I bet the whole house (or at least kitchen) smells of soothing vanilla.